Shout-Outs & Celebrations
(Consider sharing your shout-out!)
- Thank you to Laura, Carolyn, Leslie, Catherine, Abby, Andrea, Kristin, and Eman for donating to the Bus Driver Breakfast! You are so generous!
- Mr. Hewitt, Ms. Williams, and Dr. Whitehouse collaborated to support a student with behavior struggles. Their collaboration resulted in clear data collection, behavior instruction, and improvement in daily behavior for this student.
- From Jenny and the K team: Kelly Saludo- hats off for stepping up and helping any way you possibly can. (It should be noted that is typical, but this week more than ever, it is so appreciated.)
General Updates
~ From Jenn Marks, mom of Penny & Oscar …
Sunday, March 19
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Join us for a wonderful healing retreat for school teachers and educators at the Ashram. Teachers are faced with more challenges than ever. At the Ashram we are happy to share the proven and scientific tools of yoga to help teachers increase health, equanimity, quietude of mind and to give them tools to bring into the classroom. Topics covered include: meditation and mindfulness, yoga poses and breathing for stress relief and health, tools for deep relaxation, and how to share these safely with their students. $25
~ From WCPSS Information Systems:
We are pleased to announce the creation of the WakeID Portal. This portal will enable WCPSS employees and students to access multiple applications with one username and password. While we have already been using the one username and password system to access multiple WCPSS electronic resources, the WakeID Portal will allow users to have one place where all the links to the applications are located. This new portal will also provide access to manage student passwords and provide access to student data such as approved for Digital Technology Use status, Photo Release, etc.
Our go-live date for the WakeID Portal is scheduled for March 1, 2017. We will be sharing information about the WakeID Portal and the processes employees will need to follow to claim their WakeID with all staff during the week of February 20. We also are in the process of creating a web page with FAQs and quick guides to provide employees with more information about their WakeIDs and using the new WakeID Portal.
~Staff Children @ Wiley: The next application period is the Early Transfer/Calendar Application. Parents can apply online between February 22-28. The Early Transfer Application is the time for your employees to ask for a transfer for their children to be assigned to the school/campus where they are employed.
~ (Repeat) Intervention Central - When you have time, check out this article from Intervention Central regarding tips to calm an agitated student. These are great reminders!
~(Repeat) Single Subject Acceleration - Parent information sessions are upon us, starting February 13. Please make sure to let parents know that the nomination window for parents to nominate their child to be tested is April 6-26. I recommend they go to a session to learn more about it. Also, please share this flyer with parents on your next newsletter or using member hub. It will also be going home in Monday folders.
IRT/Literacy Updates
- NEW! ACCESS testing update: Revisions and updates have been made to the schedule. Please check to see when your students will be testing. If you have any questions please email Mike Roche. Thank you!
- Late Night @ the Book Fair w/ Author Share: On March 9th, the PTA will be hosting a late night book fair event. The theme will be an “Author’s Tea.” Students will have an opportunity to present a published piece of their writing to a small audience AND families can shop at the Book Fair. Details will be sent home with students soon. **We would like for all students to have the opportunity to participate so, please ensure that each of your students has a published writing piece to share.
- Academic Language: PLTS, thank you for taking the time to reflect upon how you are supporting the use of academic language in your classrooms. I loved hearing about what you implementing and the successes you are having. It was fun for me to see some of your “ah-ha!” moments as we talked about what other grade levels are doing as well.
- Some takeaways:
- Pictures (non-linguistic representations) on Anchor Charts are important throughout all grade levels.
- Vocabulary words have different definitions depending on the content area. Think “pitch” and “key” in a music lesson. We shouldn’t make assumptions that students know alternate definitions.
- Explicitly teaching testing/assessment vocabulary.
- As promised, you can find a link HERE to the Google folder with the WIDA “can do” descriptors as well an excerpt from the book regarding classroom strategies.
- Seesaw: Who would like to Seesaw with me??? I attended a mini-training that introduced me to the Seesaw app. If you would like to learn more, collaborate or simply lend me your students please let me know! Are you wondering what Seesaw is? Check it out HERE!
Magnet Updates
- UN Global Goals (Repeat)- Please as part of your next planning meeting, let me know which global goal you focused on for Q1, Q2 and possibly the one that you might use for Q3 and what you did or taught while raising awareness of that goal. My next bulletin board will hopefully reflect how we as a school are addressing the Global Goals. Just send me one email per team. THANK YOU!
Media & Technology
- (Repeat) eWise Professional Development: LAST CHANCE! Are you trying to incorporate more voice & choice into your lessons? Do you want students who not only can find information, but also evaluate it? Did the video from the staff meeting inspire you to include more creativity into your daily structure? If so, then eWISE is a perfect tool for adding all of these things into your classroom. Lynn is going to be talking about eWISE at several different sessions throughout the month of February if you are interested in learning more. Click here to access the registration page: eWISE PD Registration Form If you want to book Lynn for your grade level planning time, then contact Lynn directly.
- MTAC Committee Meeting will be at 8 AM on Monday, February 20.
Important Dates
Happy Birthday - Yuko (2/22)
This Week:
*ACCESS testing continues for our ESL students
Monday, 2/20: MOY Intervention Matrix Review Meeting (Intervention Team)
Make Up Day
Tuesday, 2/21: MTSS Meeting
Wednesday, 2/22: Vertical Team Meetings w/ K and 2nd?
Thursday, 2/23: Vertical Team Meetings w/ 1st and 3rd?
Friday, 2/24: PTA Cultural Arts Event - Storytelling w/ Donna Washington - K,2nd,3rd @ 9:30am and 1st, 4th, 5th @10:50am
Upcoming Dates:
Pieces of Gold! - March 8 @ Memorial Auditorium
Book Fair - March 7-10 - Author Share (students) & Dinner on Thursday, 3/9 - more information to come
K’s Letterland Parade - March 10 @ 9:30am
Spring Pictures - March 20
Talent Show - March 23